Davis on chemistry with Kaepernick: ‘We don’t have it’

In Colin Kaepernick’s first start against the Bears, tight end Vernon Davis had the 49ers’ most targets (8), catches (6) and yards (83) while hauling in a three-yard touchdown pass.

Vernon Davis has four catches for 29 yards in his past four games. (AP)

After the game, Davis declared Kaepernick was “the man” and said it felt like the “handcuffs” had been removed from him, a reference to his mini-slump entering that Monday night game.

A month later, however, Davis is back in chains. In his past four games, he has four catches for 29 yards on nine targets. That’s one fewer catch and 43 fewer yards than he had in the first two quarters of Kaepernick’s starting debut.

What’s going on?

Today, Davis acknowledged the obvious: He’s still working to establish the same rapport he had with Alex Smith.

“You have to develop that chemistry, that bond so you can be on the same page,” Davis said. “That’s something me and Kap don’t have right now. We don’t have it. You have to expect it because he just stepped in. Me and Alex, we’ve been here.

“It took some time for me and Alex to get like that. In the beginning, Alex would overthrow me, he would underthrow me. We had to build that chemistry that he could trust that I’m going in that spot that I needed to be. That’s something that me and Kap don’t have right now, but we’re working on it.”

To hear Davis tell it, Kaepernick is still adjusting to his speed. A 34-yard, first-quarter throw to a wide-open Davis in the end zone Sunday against the Patriots sailed just beyond the tight end’s reach.

“Just working on some of the deep throws, like the ones you saw in the game, we work on it,” Davis said. “Because in practice, he would overthrow me. I think he’s just kind of scared of my speed a little bit. He doesn’t really know it. We don’t have that timing, but it will come, just like any quarterback and wide receiver. It takes time.”

Here’s the full rundown of what Davis said about his connection with Kaepernick:

Q: There were two passes that landed just beyond your reach against the Patriots …

VD: I get chills when I think about it, but we can talk about it. It’s cool. One thing I learned in the beginning when I first got here, everyone was talking about being on the same page as the quarterback, as Alex Smith. You have to develop that chemistry, that bond so you can be on the same page. That’s something me and Kap don’t have right now. We don’t have it. You have to expect it because he just stepped in. Me and Alex, we’ve been here.

It took some time for me and Alex to get like that. In the beginning, Alex would overthrow me, he would underthrow me. We had to build that chemistry that he could trust that I’m going in that spot that I needed to be. That’s something that me and Kap don’t have right now, but we’re working on it. We started working on it the moment he stepped in. So we have to build that. Every time I walk past Kaep, I’m always reminding him, ‘Kap, Kap, take your time on me. Take your time. Take your time. I’m not as fast as you think.’ It’s fun. It’s interesting, because it’s like starting all over again, especially for me.

Q: What other ways do you work on your chemistry with Kaepernick?

VD: Just working on some of the deep throws, like the ones you saw in the game, we work on it. Because in practice, he would overthrow me. I think he’s just kind of scared of my speed a little bit. He doesn’t really know it. We don’t have that timing, but it will come, just like any quarterback and wide receiver. It takes time. You have to build it and trust it. In due time it will all happen. We just have to get on the same page. That’s what makes football that much more interesting and fun.

Q: Do his passes really come fast?

VD:: He’s strong. He’s a strong man. I heard rumors about him wanting to get bigger. I said, “Nooooo, nooooo, we don’t need you to get bigger.” But he’s strong, very strong arm, which is a good thing. And like I said, his future is very bright.

Q: How long would you say it took you to get a rapport with Alex?

VD: It took a while, but with Kap I’m sure if just continue to rehearse and work on it, we can make it happen. He’s a fast learner, just like Alex. But it takes time.

Q: Crabtree seems to be on the same page as Kaepernick. What do you attribute their early success to?

VD: Crab is a pretty good route runner. He’s getting open and Kap is finding him. He’s been running a lot of slants and quick dump-offs.

Q: So it’s the type of routes makes it easier to get on the same page?

VD: Yeah, the type of routes. It depends on what your routes are. The routes, speed, all those things come into consideration.